Can



Jan. 11, 1938. H. SEBI-:LL 2,105,445

CAN

Filed May 6, 19.37. 2 Sheets-Sheet l Invenor Hurry Sebel bywwgw H. SEBELL.

Jan. 11, 1938.

CAN

Filed May 6, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lnvenTor. H orry S e bel l by ATTyS.

Patented Jan. l1, 1938 UNITED STATES PATE?` OFFICE CAN Application May 6, 1937, Serial No. 141,064

8 Claims.

This invention relates to cans of that type which are formed with a line of weakness in one wall thereof dening a tear strip or tear-out portion, which when torn loose from the can forms a pouring opening, and which are also provided with a cover member permanently attached to the tear-out portion and through which force may be applied to the latter to tear it loose from the can, said cover member being permanently attached to the can so as to form a hinge cover or closure for the pouring opening after it has been formed.

One of the objects of the present invention is F to provide a can of this type with novel means for venting the can when the contents are being discharged through the pouring opening. This is accomplished by forming in one Wall of the can a second line of weakness in addition to the line of weakness which defines the tear-out portion for the pouring opening, said second line of weakness delining a second tear-out portion which when torn from the can produces a vent opening.

I also propose to provide a cover member to Which both tear-out portions are permanently connected and which itself is connected to the can body through a hinge connection.

With this construction the application of a prying force to the cover member results in tearing both tear-out portions from the can body thus forming both a pouring opening and a vent opening. The cover member is constructed to function as a closure for both openings and as it is hingedly connected to the can, said cover member, after the can has been once opened, provides a 35 hinged cover for closing or opening both the pouring opening and the vent opening.

vIn order to give an understanding of the invention I have illustrated some embodiments thereof in the accompanying drawings which will now 10 be described after which the novel features will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a can end showing one embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a section through the can end on the line 2 2, Fig. 1 showing in dotted lines a can body to which the can end is to be attached;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3, Fig. 5;

Fig. 4 is a section similar to Fig. 3 but showing the can opened;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a can embodying my invention;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the cover member;

Fig. '7 is a section on the line '1 -1, Fig. 3

Fig. 8 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3 but showing a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of an end showing a different embodiment of the invention from that shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 10 is a section on the line Ill-l0, Fig. 9 showing in dotted lines the can. to which the can end is to be applied;

Fig. 11 is a section on the line lI-I I, Fig. 13;

Fig. l2 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 11 but showing the can opened;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary perspective View of the can shown in Fig. 11;

Fig, 14 is a perspective View of a can showing still a different embodiment of the invention and before the cover member is applied to the can;

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of a completed can showing the construction illustrated in Fig. 14;

Fig. 16 is a section on the line 16-1 6, Fig. 15 but showing the can opened;

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a different embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 18 is a section on the line Iii-I8, Fig. 1'7.

Referring iirst to Fig. 14 l indicates a can which has formed in the end 2 thereof two separate lines of Weakness 3 and 4, each of which defines a tearout portion. The line of weakness 3 is shown as an annular line of weakness which defines the tear-out portion 5 and the line of weakness 4 is shown as a U-shaped line of weakness defining a tear-out strip or portion 6.

These lines of weakness may be formed in any suitable way so that the material of the can end will be weaker or thinner along the lines of weakness than at other portions, and one convenient way of forming the lines of Weakness is by scoring the can end.

When the can is to be opened the tear-out portion 5 is torn out of the can by tearing the latter along the line of weakness 3, and the tear-out portion 6 is also torn loose from the can by tear ing the can end along the line of weakness 4. This produces a pouring opening 'I through which the contents of the can may be discharged and a vent opening 8 which vents the can and allows air to enter it as the contents are being discharged as shown in Fig. 16.

Means are provided for tearing the tear portions out from the can, which means also function as a cover member for subsequently closing r as by means of spot Welding indicated at IU, Vand the cover member is of suicient stiiness or strength so that the tear-out portions can be removed by applying a prying or pulling force to the end II of the cover. The U-shaped line of Weakness 4 is situated so that the bent or bight portion thereof is directed toward the tear-out portion 5, and with this arrangement the application of a prying or pulling force to the end II of the cover member 9 will result in tearing the tear-out portion 5 completely loose from the 'can and in also tearing thetear strip 6 free from the can along the line of Weakness 4. Since the line of weakness 4 is U-shaped, said tear strip-6 Y will remain permanently connected to the can end and this tear strip then forms a hinge connection I2 between the cover member 9 and the can. Y

With this construction the can may=be readily opened by applying the prying or pulling force Ato the end II of the cover member, as stated above, and after the can has'once been opened it will be'provided with a hinge cover which- 'can be used for closing both the pouring opening and the Vent opening.

In Figs. 1 to 7 I have shown another embodiment ofthe invention wherein the cover member is constructed so that it not only serves to tear the tear portions loose from the can, but after the can has been once opened also serves to close both openings with a friction fit. The can shown in Figs. 1 to '7-is of the type in which the can end I4 is secured to the can body I 3through the medium of a double-lock seam I5 formed by rolling together seaming flanges I6 and I'I with which the can end I4 and can body I3 are initially provided.

In this embodiment of theinvention the can end I4 is shown as initially deformed to present an elongated offset portion which maybe either a raised portion or a depressed portion, and said offset portion is provided with two lines of weakness, one of which denes a tear-out portion for forming the pouring opening and the otherof which denesa tear-out portion for forming a vent opening. I

In the construction illustrated in Figs. l to 7, the offset portion of the can end is a raised portion I8 and this raised portion is provided with the two lines of Weakness I 9 and 20, each of which is an annular line of weakness. The line of weakness I9 defines a tear-out portion 2| which when removed forms a pouring opening 23, and the Y line of weakness defines a tear-out'portion 22 which when removed forms a vent opening 24.

`A cover member is provided which frictionally ts the offset portion and where the offset portion is a raised portion as indicated at I8 I. propose to employ a skirted cover member, such as shown at in Fig. 6, which frictionally ts the side Walls 25 of the'offset portion I8.

If the offset portion were a depressed portion then the cover member would t into the depression with a friction fit. This cover member is provided with Ya tab 21 which is rolled into the double-lock seam I5 at the time that the can end I4 is seamed to the can body I3. The cover member 25 is also permanently secured to the can end I4 is first formed as shown in Fig. 1 with the seaming ange I6 and the offset portion I8 .and also with kthe scorelines or lines vof Weakness I9 and 23. The cover member 25 is then applied to the offset portion and spot welded to the tearout portions 2|, 22 as shown at 28. The tab 2 of the cover member overlies the seaming flange I6 on the can end.

The assembled can end I4 and cover member 25 .are then attached to the can body I3 by rolling the seaming anges I6, I'I together to form the double-lock seamV I5, and during this oper tion the end of the tab 21 is rolled into the double-lock seam, thus permanently connecting the cover member to the can.

When the can is' to be opened a prying or pulling force is applied to the end 29 of the cover -suiiicient to tear the tear-out portions 2|, 22 free from the raised portion I8 of the can end thereby Vforming the pouring opening 23 and the vent opening 24. The tab portion 21 of the cover, which is permanently connected to the can body,

constitutes a hinge for the cover member. The

provision of the vent opening provides for freely pouring liquid contents from the can without any gurgling action, and vif vit is desired to discharge a portion only of the contents of the can, then after the desired amount has been poured out the cover member 25 may be closed onto the offset lportion lI8 again thereby closing both the pouring opening and the vent opening, and since the cover member fits the oiset portion with a tight friction fit the can will be sealed tightly.

In the can shown in Figs. l to 'i the cover member 25 not only provides the means through which both tear-out portions -2I and 22 are torn from the can toV form the pouring opening and the`vent opening, but said cover member also functions as a tight fitting cover for closing and sealing both openings after the can has been opened for the first time.

The cover member is also hingedly connected to the can so that it can never be separated therefrom.

In Figs. 9 to 13 I have shown a different embodiment of the invention wherein the can end is formed with two offset portions each of which is provided with the line or"Y weakness defining a tear-out portion, and the cover member is formed with two cover portions, one for each oiset poi'- tion, each cover vportion frictionally fitting the corresponding offset portion. In the construction in said Figs. Sto 13, 39 indicates the can body and 3l the can end, said can end being shown as connected to the'can body in the usual Way by the double-lock seam 32 formed by rolling together the seaming flanges .33 and 34 on the can end 'and can body respectively.

The can end 3l. is deformed Vto `present Ytwo oifset portions 35, 36 and these'oiset portionsare illustrated as in the form of raised portions although they might be in the form of depressed portions without departing from the invention. Each offset portion is formed with a line of weakness, the line of Weakness on the offset portion 35 being indicated at 3'I and that on the offset portion 36 beingindicated at 38. `Each line of iii) Weakness is shown as an annular line of yweakness and said lines of Weakness denne tear-out portions 39 and-4. In this embodiment of the invention the cover member, indicated generally at 4I, is shapedto present two cover portionsV 42 Yand '43, the cover portion 42 being of a size to frictionally t the offset portion Y35 and the cover portion 4'3 being of Va size to frictionally fit the oifset portion 36. This cover member 5I is also Vshownas having a tab44 which is adapted to be rolledintothe double-lock seam-32 inthe-man- 11er above-described with reference to the tab 27 in Figs. 1 to 7.

In making the can the can end is first formed as shown in Fig. 9 with the seaming iiange 33 and with the offset portions 35 and 36 and the score lines or lines of weakness 37, 38, and the cover member 4| is then applied to the oiset portions and spot welded or otherwise permanently secured to the tear-out portions 3S, 46 as shown at 53. The cover member is permanently secured to the can body in some suitable way and if the cover member has the tab 44, then when the can end 3l is seamed to the can body 35 the tab 44 may be rolled into the double-lock seam 32.

The cover member 4l is preferably made sulficiently stiff and rigid so that when a pryingor pulling force is applied to the end 45 thereof the cover portions 42, 43 will be removed from the offset portions 35, 36 of the can end and the tearout portions 39, i6 will be torn free from the can end thus producing the pouring opening 45 and the vent opening 41. The cover member may be provided with the required rigidity or stiffness in any suitable way and one simple way is to employ a reenforcing plate 48 which overlies the cover member and is provided with openings 49 through which the cover portions 42, 43 project, said reenforcing plate being secured to the cover member in any appropriate way as by means of beads 56 formed in the side walls of the cover portions immediately above the reenforcing member. In this embodiment also the pouring opening and the vent opening are formed by applying a prying or pulling force to one end of the cover member thereby to tear out the tear portions 35, 46 and after the can has been initially opened the cover member will provide two separate cover members, one for each pouring opening, each cover member closing its opening with a tight friction fit.

If desired, I may employ a cover member similar to that shown in Fig. 6 in connection with the can end having the construction shown in Fig. 9. This is illustrated in Fig. 8 wherein there is shown a can 30 having a can end 3i seamed thereto with the double-lock seam 32, said can end having the offset portions 35, 36, each of which is provided with a line of weakness as shown in Fig. 9. The cover member shown in Fig. 8 is indicated at 50 and it is similar to the cover member 25 and is of a shape to t over the raised portions 35, 36, said cover member having a tab 52 which is rolled into the double-lock seam. In this embodiment also the cover member will be spot welded to the tear-out portions 39, 46 as shown at I so that when the can is initially opened the prying of the cover member 50 from the can end will tear the tear-out portions 39, 46 from the raised portions 35, 36 before forming the pouring and vent opening. The cover 5!! is constructed so that its ends Will frictionally engage the raised portions 35, 36.

In Figs. 1'7 and 18 I have shown an embodiment of the invention wherein the offset portion in the can end is a depressed portion instead of a raised portion, and the cover member is in the form of a friction plug fitting the depressed portion rather than a skirted member tting over a raised portion. In said Figs. 17 and 18 55 indicates the can end, a portion of which is offset to present the depressed portion 56. The bottom of the depressed portion is formed with the two lines of weakness 57, 58 which define the tearout portions 59, 66. The cover member 6| is in the form of a plug which frictionally iits within the depression, and said cover member is spot welded or otherwise permanently secured to the tear-out portions 59, 66 as by means of spot welding 63.

In this embodiment the cover member is shown as permanently but hingedly connected to the can at one end through the medium of the tab 64. The can may be opened by applying a prying or pulling force to the end 65 of the cover which will remove it from the depression and, because the tear-out portions 59, 66 are permanently attached to the cover, this operation will tear these portions out from the can end along the lines of weakness thereby forming the pouring opening and vent opening. After pouring out from the can any desired part of the contents the can may be closed and sealed again by replacing the plug cover 6| within the depression 55 and as the plug fits the depression with a friction fit the can will be tightly sealed.

While I have illustrated herein some embodiments of the invention I do not wish to be limited to the constructional details shown.

I claim:

1. A can having two separate lines of weakness formed in one wall thereof, one of which denes a tear-out portion which when removed forms a pouring opening and the other of which deiines a second tear-out portion which when removed forms a vent, and a cover member permanently secured to each tear-out portion and hingedly connected to the can, whereby the application of a prying force to the cover member will separate said tear-cut portions from the can along the lines of weakness and thus form both a pouring opening and a separate vent opening.

2. A can having in its end wall two separate lines of Weakness, one of which is annular and the other of which is U-shaped and each of which defines a tear-out portion, and a cover member permanently secured to each tear-out portion and through which force may be applied to the tearout portions to tear them free from the can along the lines of weakness, the U-shaped tear-out portion forming a hinge connection between the cover. member and the can.

3. A can having a portion of one end wall olfset with relation to the plane of the wall and formed with two separate lines of weakness, each of which deiines a tear-out portion, a cover member frictionally engaging the oifset portion of the can end and permanently secured to both tear-out portions, and means permanently but hingedly connecting said cover member to the can.

4. A can having a portion of one end raised and said raised portion being provided with two separate lines of weakness, each defining a tear- Out portion, a skirted cover member frictionally fitting over the raised portion of the can end and permanently secured to the tear-out portions.

5. A can having a portion of one end raised and said raised portion being provided with two separate lines of weakness, each defining a tearout portion, a skirted cover member frictionally fitting over the raised portion of the can end and permanently secured to the tear-out portions, and means hingedly connecting the cover member to the can.

6. A can having its end formed with two raised portions, each having a line of weakness defining a tear-out portion, a cover member formed with two cup-shaped cover portions, one for each raised portion, and each cover portion frictionally fitting its raised portion and being permanently connected to the corresponding tear-out portion, whereby when the cover member is pried loose from the can end the tear-out portions are torn from the can end along the lines of Weakness thereby forming a pouring openingy and a vent opening, said cover member serving to close both openings with a friction t.

7. A can having its end formed with two raised portions, each having a. line of weakness deiining a tear-out portion, a -cover member formed with two cup-shaped cover portions, one for each raised portion, and each cover portion frictionally fitting its raised portion and being permanently connected to the corresponding tear-out portion, and means hingedly connecting said cover member to the can, whereby whenV the Vcover member Vis pried loose from the can end the tearout portions are torn from the can end along the lines of weakness thereby forming a pouring opening and a vent opening, said cover member serving to close both openings with a friction fit. Y 8. A can havingrits `end formed with two 01T- set portions, each having a line of weakness dening a. tear-out portion, a cover member formed with two cover portions, one for each offset portion, each cover portion frictionally tting its oiset portion and being permanently connected to the corresponding tear-out portion,'whereby when the cover member is pried loose from the can end the tear-out portions are torn from the can end along the lines of weakness thereby forming a pouring opening and vent opening, said cover member serving to close both openings with a friction t. Y i v l HARRY SEBELL. 

